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Defendant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
Pierre, SD – In a shocking turn of events, Darrell Dean Ponca, a/k/a Darrell Dean Richards, age 67, of Mission, South Dakota, has been sentenced to a year and one day in federal prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
The sentencing took place on October 21, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte. Ponca was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.
Ponca’s troubles began in November 1994 when he was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. As a result, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status.
However, in December 2024, Ponca failed to update his sex offender registration following his release from custody on a previous conviction for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. This oversight led authorities to arrest Ponca in Mission, South Dakota, on January 31, 2025.
The case against Ponca was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Ponca was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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